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Sunday, 15 April 2012

Postcard from Berlin!

Friends
of ours (who I will call K & P – a pair of real nuts) asked if we would
like to join them in Berlin to celebrate our wedding anniversary. It didn’t take
us long to accept; not only we have been away with them and always have a great
time, we all love to travel. Hubby was to book the flights for the two of us
plus P; since my girlfriend K lives and works in Poland she would book where we
would be staying, drive and pick us up at the airport, sounds simple no? Well K
always makes sure everything is perfect: she booked and rebooked 4 times and I
kept getting messages until she settled for the Hotel Clipper Garden Home at
Theklastraße 20 in Steilgitz about 15 minutes from the centre.

Since
K was happy to drive this was just perfect for us, it was so quiet that we
slept extremely well and the weather was superb. Each couple got an apartment
and may I say they weren’t small. I also like how the Germans like the Dutch give
you a double bed with two duvets so when hubby tosses and turns I still get to
keep my duvet instead of waking during the night and having to reclaim my share.

It
was my second time in Germany, last time we stayed with friends and apart from
one eve we always ate at home so being a foodie I was looking forward to trying
more German delicacies. Now as you would expect Berlin is like many other
capitals and it is very cosmopolitan so we were able to find every type of restaurant
and there are many. I had heard expensive restaurants don’t stay open long but
it seems I managed to find some although the whole experience was great even
though one of the restaurants tried to overcharge us; I blamed K, because she
looks far too high maintenance.

I
was recommended to go to Mitte which is worth going to and we took the open top
bus which was extremely interesting, we also walked lots, good thing I took
shoes without heels. Also managed to find a great flea market by the Straße des
17 Juni, where I saw some interesting things; unfortunately I couldn’t buy any (luggage
restrictions) but what a great place to browse.

I
love how Berliners seem to do the right thing, even when no one is looking and
they are among the best and most polite drivers. That said one does encounter a
rudeness in some of the waiters; how I wish customer service from the numerous
Americans in town had rubbed off a bit on them. They seem quite harsh and
abrupt at times but perhaps that’s the cultural difference between us all.

We
also decide to visit the holocaust museum, it seemed the right thing to do at
the time and I was curious to see their input on the whole subject; I am sad to
say I was disappointed as I felt it compared unfavourably with London’s
Imperial War Museum’s handling of a very emotive chapter in Germany’s past.

They
do love their food halls and my favourite was definitely KaDeWe, that shop is
just superb, in fact makes Liberty’s look small and the food hall puts Harrods
to shame. On the last day we had lunch there and it was so difficult to decide
what to have, the choice was enormous and all looked so good; only one complaint
why do they cover their salads with tons of greasy dressing??? It defeats the
purpose, no?!... And while I’m having a rant what is it about the coffee? The
best cup was at the McDonalds café –I never thought I’d say that.

Near
us, we found an amazing Greek (Zeus) and an Italian restaurant (Il Grano). I
loved the fact that they kept saying words like grazie, ciao and bellissimo
when neither waiters seemed to be Italian (our waiter was Armenian) but they
did sell the whole Italian experience extremely well.

Again
you will find many al fresco places which was great since the weather was
amazing, there was only one thing; Berliners smoke like chimneys (you realise
that when seeing thousands of butts on the floor) and being a non smoker I hate
having to inhale other people vices. And at the first opportunity it seems the
Berliner sheds clothing. A walk in
Tiergarten was illuminated by the sight of numerous apparitions with their kit
off enjoying the midday sun (no I did not take pitures).

I
am not a train spotter but I must say that Berlin central station (Hauptbanhoff)
was something spectacular, the design from Meinhard von Gerkan is quite
something ( one finds all sorts including brides) and is filled with nice shops and restaurants (try the one on the top
floor).

Unfortunately
was time to leave and I though there is still so much to see that I definitely will
go back and explore a bit more this amazing city which seems to reveal in the
80’s.

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